


Smoke Break

by AConfusedWriter



Category: The Terror (TV 2018), The Terror - Dan Simmons
Genre: Fluff, Friendship, Gen, Joplittle, M/M, Oneshot, Penguins, but im reasonably happy with how it turned out, idk y'all its two thirty in the morning, idk yall, just two boys enjoying a quiet moment, mutual understanding, or at least they're briefly mentioned, so it's getting posted, this is really short
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-28
Updated: 2020-04-28
Packaged: 2021-03-01 16:42:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 560
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23890255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AConfusedWriter/pseuds/AConfusedWriter
Summary: Just two boys in the Arctic enjoying a quiet moment.
Relationships: Thomas Jopson/Lt Edward Little
Comments: 6
Kudos: 24





	Smoke Break

**Author's Note:**

> This is un-beta'd and barely proofread, we die like fools poisoned by our own hubris

Edward breathed out another cloud of smoke and sighed, leaning heavily on the gunwale. His shoulders ached. His legs ached. His back ached, his neck, his feet-- everything ached. He bit back a groan as he tried kneading out an especially bad spot on his shoulder, but it was no use with all these layers.

“Evening, sir.”

Edward glanced over to see Thomas Jopson striding toward him.

“Mind if I join you?” He asked.

Edward huffed and slowly straightened himself. “Might as well.”

Jopson stopped at Edward’s side. He pulled out a tobacco pouch and rolled a cigarette.

“How are you faring, sir?”

Edward watched as the steward brought the cigarette to his lips and lit it carefully, the brief glow from the match illuminating his face. For a moment, silence hung between them like a veil.

Jopson knew what that silence meant. He gave the lieutenant a sympathetic look.

“That bad?” He asked.

Edward nodded slowly.

“I wouldn’t fuss overmuch, though.” He said. “Doctor Peddie says it’s the walks, not scurvy.”

Jopson gave the lieutenant a sharp look.

“He says it isn’t scurvy, or it likely isn’t?”

Edward glanced at him, looking rather like a reprimanded boy.

“Likely isn’t,” he said.

Jopson nodded, taking a long drag of his cigarette.

“You should keep an eye on it, anyways. Can’t be too careful.”

Edward shook his head, put his pipe between his teeth, and slouched back over the gunwale. Jopson took this as his cue to turn his back to the railing and lean against it, sliding his free hand into his coat pocket. Jopson watched the grey clouds rolling overhead. Edward watched the ice.

“Y’know,” said Jopson, “I’m glad we’re not in the Antarctic.”

Edward shifted his weight, turning to glance at the steward.

“Oh?”

“Yeah. Don’t have to deal with bloody penguins.”

Edward chuckled.

“You laugh, but those things are a menace. You’ve no idea how many times I’ve mended some jacket or other because they decided they didn’t like the look of the captain.”

Edward smiled and turned to face the puckish steward. “I’m imagining the look on the captain’s face-- swarmed by a bunch of funny looking birds and pecked to oblivion.”

“Careful there, sir, you could be reprimanded rather harshly for disrespect like that.”

“You wouldn’t report me.”

Jopson tilted his head to the side, raising his cigarette to his lips. There was a delightfully mischievous twinkle in his eyes as he took a puff and hummed, “Says who?”

“You report me for disrespect, I report you for smoking on the ship.”

“Awfully hypocritical of you.”

“Hm.”

There was a lull.

“It’s good to see you smile,” said Jopson.

Edward peered at him curiously. “You say that like I don’t smile often.”

“That’s cus you don’t.”

“I smile when there’s something to smile about.”

“Oh? Is that why you always smile when I’m around?”

Edward said nothing.

“Sir?”

“Not always,” he relented.

Jopson grinned. Edward turned back to the ice.

There was silence again. This time it was lighter, more pleasant. Less a veil and more comfort. They knew-- they both knew-- that in a few minutes Edward would put out his pipe, stand and nod to Jopson, then make his way to the lower decks and Jopson would finish his cigarette alone. Neither of them minded, though. Not when parting was worth the while.


End file.
